Car coupler



' Jan. 15, 1929.

' c. w. DOWLING CAR COUPLER Filed Oct. 8,. 1926 4 Sheets-Sheet l Jan. 15, 1929. 1,698,991

C. W. DOWLING CAR COUPLER Filed 001. a, 1926 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 "Kli- Jan. 15, 1529.-

- C. W. DOWLING UAR COUPLER Filed Qct." 1926 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Jan. 15, 1929. 1,698,991

' c. w. DOWLING CAR COUPLER Filed Oct. 8 1926 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Jan. 15, 1929.

PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES W. DOWLIN G, OF NEWARK, OHIO.

CAR COUPLER.

Application filed October 8, 1926.

This invention relates to improvements in car couplers, and has for its primary object the provision of an automatic coupler designed for use in connection with passenger and heavy duty freight service, and wherein the working parts of the coupler are so arranged and interrelated as to produce a coupler possessing great strength and durability, positive in formed so as to be capable of ,being safely actuated.

A further object of the invention resides in the provision of a car coupler wherein is included a knuckle mounted for rotation about a substantially vertical axis, the knuckle bein' provided with a tail extension arranged for horizontal swinging movement inthe operating chamber of the draw head, the said extension being formed to include integral vertically arranged and arcuately disposed ribs or flanges which project from the upper and lower surface of said extension and are receivable within similarly formed grooves or sockets provided in the upper and lower walls of said draw head, the arrangement being such that when the coupler is in operation the pulls, strains and stresses imparted to the knuckle are received and absorbed by said flanges and the draw head and are removed rom the pin, or other similar connection, pivotally uniting the knuckle with the draw head.

A still further object of the invention resides in providing the operating chamber of the draw head with a rock shaft mounted in the chamber for rotation about a substantially horizontal axis, and wherein the rock shaft is provided with an integral block arranged for oscillation in a vertical plane within said chamber, the arrangement of parts being such that when the knuckle occupies its locked or closed position the said block will be positioned between the tail extension of the knuckle and one of the side walls of said chamber, preventing thereby rotation on the part of the knuckle and preventing the swinging of the knuckle to an open or uncoupling position, the said rock shaft being provided with an exteriorly positioned crank permitting the lock blockto be moved to assume various operating positions in connection with the knuckle.

One of the outstanding features of the invention resides in the provision of a coupling havingthe aforesaid features and wherein is included a fourth operating unit in the control and operation and:

Serial No. 140,370.

form of a cam shaft, disposed withinthe operating chamber in a plane below the rock shaft and extending ina horizontal plane and respect to said rock.

tated the lock block may be first elevated to 00- cupy a position releasing the swingable knuckle, and whereby upon further rotation on the part of the cam member, the second of the fingers thereon will be brought intoengagement with the tail extension of the knuckle so as to effect the positive and forced rotation of the knuckle to an uncoupling position throughout its entire range of travel.

The cam shaft or cam member is a unit designed to perform four distinct functions: first, a lock lift, which lifts the lock block out of locking engagement with the knuckle tail permitting said knuckle to be opened; second, a kick-out by which the knuckle is forced to assume its fully opened position, and wherein the cam member serves to positively advance the knuckle throughout all increments of travel when moving from a locked to an unlocked position; third, a lock set for holding the lock block positively in a set or unlocke position; and fourth, a supplemental or additional locking means for retaining the lock block positively in its locked position when the knuckle is closed, and'thereby insuring the retention of the lock block insaid looking position under working influences and stresses which may tend to force the same tov assume accidentally a knuckle releasing position.

With these and other objects in view, as will appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists in the novel features of construction, combinations of elements and arrangements of parts hereinafter to be ful ly described and pointed out in the appended claims. r

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan view of the improved car coupler comprising the present invention,

Figure 2 is a side elevation thereof,

Figure 3 is a horizontal sectional View taken through the coupler on the plane indicated by the line 33 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view on the plane indicated by the line 44 of Figure 3,

the reception of a draw bar 2 Figure 5 is a similar view on the line 5-5 of Figure 3,

Figure 6 is a transverse vertical sectional view on the plane disclosed by the line 6-6 of Figure 3, looking in the direction indicated by the arrow,

Figure 7 is a horizontal sectional view showing the knuckle in its open position,

Figure 8 is a perspective view of the rock shaft and the associated locking block carried thereby,

Figure 9 is a perspective view of the cam or operating member,

Figure 10 is a perspective view of the knuckle. V

Referring more particularly to the drawings the numeral 1 designates the end sill of a railway car which is formed centrally for provided on a coupler or draw head 3. The head 3, as usual, is formed to include a one piece casting having walls of appropriate thickness and strength to withstand the service to which they are placed. Internally the head. is formed to include a chamber in which is contained the operating mechanism, hereinafter fully described, of the coupler. The chamber 4 at its front end opens as at 5 to the knuckle throat 6 of the coupler, and in which is mounted for swinging movement in a horizontal plane the knuckle 7 of the coupler.

This knuckle, as shown in Figure 10, includes a body portion 8 provided with a vertical opening 9 which is arranged in registration with similar openings formed in vertically spaced cars 10 projecting horizontally and forwardly from the coupler head 3, a vertical pin 11 being arranged to pass through the openings in the ear 10 and the opening 9 to provide a means for retaining the knuckle in secured engagement in connection with the coupler and also to permit of the turning of the knuckle about a substantially vertical axis. The upper end of the pin is headed as at 12 and the mounting of the pin is such as to permit of its convenient removal whenever desired from the coupler. The body of the knuckle terminates rearwardly in a tail extension 13 conforming substantially to the width of the opening 5 and which extension is arranged to occupy the chamber 4 when the knuckle is locked. In order to remove working strains from the pin 11, and to permit of the free turning of the knuckle at all times, the extension 13 includes arcuately disposed vertically arranged ribs 14:"14 on the upper and lower surfaces of the extension 13, and these ribs are receivable within arcuately arranged recesses or sockets 1515 provided in the upper and lower walls of the draw head, said sockets be ing in open communication with the chamber 1. By reference to Figures 3 and 7 especially, it will be observe l that the pull imparted to the knuckle will be directly absorbed by the ribs 14: and the walls of the sockets 15 and not imparted to any appreciable extent to the pin 11. It is preferable to arrange the sockets 15 in slightly eccentric relation to the true vertical axis of the pin 11, in order that when the knuckle is being swung to assume its open position the ribs 14L will be provided with slight clearance so as to prevent the same from frictionally rubbing the walls of the sockets 15 and to thereby permit of easier and more positive operation on the part of the knuckle.

In order to control the locking and unlocking of the knuckle the present invention consists in providing the draw head with horizontally aligned bearing openings 16, in which is mounted for oscillation or rotation a rock shaft 17. This shaft is arranged in a substantially horizontal plane in the upper and rear part of the chamber 4: and includes an exteriorly disposed crank extension 18 by means of which the rock shaft may be cirectly operated when desired. The said rock shaft is disposed substantially perpendicularly to the longitudinal center line of the coupler, and is provided at one end with an integral locking block 19, preferably of heavy generously proportioned metal. This block is mounted to swing in a vertical plane in the chamber a, and normally responds to gravity so as to occupy a position, as shown in Figure 3, between one of the side walls of the head 3 and a plane surface 20 provided upon the tail extension of the knuckle, when said knuckle occupies a locked position. It will be seen that by this arrangement rotation on the part of the knuckle, to assume an uncoupled or open position is effectively prevented by the locking block when the parts occupy the position disclosed in Figure 3, and a strong, positive and durable construction is produced fully capable of withstanding the severe pressures and strains to which the coupler is subjected in actual operation. Thus, the lock block in combination with the ribs 14 receive and absorb the pulls to which the knuckle is subjected in practice.

In order to control the operative position of the lock block the present invention pr0- vides a new and novel feature in the form of an operating member which constitutes the fourth part of the entire coupler assembly. This operating member comprises acam shaft 21, arranged in the lower part of the chamber 1 in a substantially horizontal plane arranged below that of the rock shaft 17. The cam shaft is disposed so that its longitudinal axis will be situated in acute angular relationship with respect to the longitudinal axis of the shaft 17, as is clearly indicated in Figure 3, the ends of the shaft 21 being mounted for rotation in bearing openings 22 formed in the side walls of the draw head. The extreme inner end of the cam shaft includes a head casing.

cam extension 23 which engages normally with the lower part of a finger 24 formed with and depending from the rock shaft 17. It will be seen that when the parts are positioned as shown in Figure 4 the relation between the cam 23 and the finger 24 is such as to prevent oscillation on the part of the shaft 17 and consequently the locking block 19. By this construction a positive means is provided for retaining the locking block in its lockin position in relation to the swinging knuckle, preventing the block from creepin-g upwardly and assuming a knuckle releasing position under the stresses, strains, jars and vibrations incident to actual operation with the parts 23 and 24 not included in the coupler assembly.

The shaft 21 is also formed with an offset or outwardly extending ear 25, to which is pivotally connected the lower end, in this instance, of a vertically extending link 26, the upper end of said link being extended through an opening in a conical enlargement 27 formed on the upper wall of the draw The upper or exteriorly disposed portion of the link 26 is provided with a bail 28, to which is connected the outer end ofa crank arm 29 provided upon an operating shaft30, which is journaled horizontally in connection with the end sill 1 of the car. The outer end of the shaft 30 is disposed adjacent to the sides of said car and is equipped with an operating handle 31, by means of which the shaft 30 may be oscillated and the coupler released without necessitating or rendering in any sense necessary the positioning of the car attendant between adjacent cars in order to operate the coupling. This is one of the outstanding features of safety provided by the coupler, and the construction and operation of the latter is so positive and reliable that the car attendant will never be required to stand between the cars and operate or adjust the coupler at any time. It is of course within the province of the invention to provide as is often done in passenger car service, a connection by which the shaft 21 may be operated from below the coupling instead of from above the same, and for this reason the bottom part of the draw head 3 is provided with a second conical enlargement 32, arranged in registration with the enlargement 27, and through which the link 26 on the shaft operating mechanism may extend.

It will be seen that upon initial oscillation of the shaft 21, the finger 24 will be released and the cam extension 23 rotated so as to engage a surface 33 provided on the under part of the lock block 19, said surface being so positioned in relation to the axis of the shaft 17 as to cause the oscillation of the locking block to assume substantially the dotted line position disclosed in Figure 5, and the end of the extension 23 then engages with a locking shoulder 34, provided at the outer terminaopen position. However, continued movement on the part of the knuckle toward its open position results in causing the lock block to engage with the upper surface 35 of the tail extension 13, thus enabling the knuckle to support the locking block in its elevated position, and to raise the latter to a suflicient distance so as to disengage the cam extension 23 from the shoulder 34 and to thus allow the cam shaft to drop back toward its normal position, whereby when the knuckle is again returned to its coupled or locked position, the lock block will be free from the cam extension 23 and permitted to drop by gravity to assume the position shown in Figure 3.

To rotate the knuckle toward its open position, after the lock block has been raised, the cam shaft 21 is provided with a second cam extension 36, which is arranged for en gagement with an arcuatevertically disposed surface 37 provided upon the rear part of the tail extension 13. The distance between the surface 37 and the cam extension 36 is such that these parts will not engage until after the locking block has been the first extension 23. Thus, when the ex tension 36 is brought into physical engagement with the surface 37, the knuckle will be freed so as to permit continued travel on the part of the extension 36 to swing the knuckle to assume the open position disclosed in Figure 7. This operation is such that the cam extension 36 positively follows the knuckle throughout its entire path oftravel from its locked to unlocked positions, thereby producing positive operation on the part of the knuckle, without relying upon momentum or velocity to cause the knuckle to complete its. course of travel, as has been proposed in prior structures. After the knuckle has been fully opened it will be seen that the wing 35 on the tail extension of the knuckle will support the locking block so that the cam extension 23 will be released from engagement with the shoulder 34. This allows the cam shaft to return toward its normal position under the influence of gravity and by responding to the weight 01 the link 26 and its associated parts. Full return, however, to a normal position is obstructed by the engagement of the extension 23 with the surface of the finger 24, but when the locking block is subsequently released by the return of the knuckle toward a locked position the cam shaft will then be permitted to return to its normal position.

The parts of the coupler may be assembled through the opening 5 provided in the front of the chamber 4. However, lugs 38 are pro vided on the shafts 17 and 21, and are so arranged in connection with the side walls of elevated by I the chamber 4 that the shafts can not be removed from the draw h-ead until after the knuckle has been removed. This construction serves to prevent effectively, loss in operating positions of the shafts. It will be observed that the knuckle will be retained in its locked position independently of the pin 11. In fact, said pin may be removeu completely when the knuckle is locked without disturbing the operation or position of the knuckle. By reason of the crank extension 18 provided on the rotation shaft 17 it will be seen that if the car attendant makes a mistake in operating the coupler so as to elevate the locking block, such mistake may be conveniently rectified by lifting the locking block further through the medium of the crank extension and to thereby cause the op erating cam shaftto drop back to its normal position, likewise releasing the locking block and causing the latter to assume its normal position between the knuckle and the side wall of the chamber 4-. Thus, if the coupler is set to assume an unlocked position and it is found that a mistake has been made in selecting the car to be uncoupled and that, for example, it is the car in the rear of the one set to uncouple upon which the operation should have been made, it will not be necessary to move the train forward in order to trip the lock set coupler to correct the mistake, but the mistake can be readily corrected by the simple manual operation described.

The coupler is so designed that it may be operated with an overhead actuating means, as disclosed, or it may be operated with an underneath lift, or from the bottom of the coupler, as in passenger service, and the change may be made from one method of operation to the other without any change in the design or form of the coupler. Again, the coupler has been constructed so as to be adapted to work in unison with the various standard types of couplers now in general service, and does not need a specially constructed mating coupler to secure or efiectits operation.

What is claimed is:

1. In a car coupling, a draw head provided with an internally disposed chamber, a knuckle pivoted to said draw head for turning movement about a vertical axis, said knuckle being formed to include an external coupling portion and'an internally extending tail extension, a lock shaft mounted for oscillation within saidchamber, a locking block formed with said shaft and disposed normally in engagement with the tail extension of said knuckle to restrain the latter against horizontal movement, a depending crank extension provided on said shaft, and an operating shaft journaled for oscillation within said mea er chamber and including cam shaped fingers one of which is arranged to engage the crank extension on said lock shaft to positively hold the locking block in its locking position, said finger being also adapted upon the rotation of said actuating member to elevate said locking block and maintain the latter in its elevated position permitting of the free swinging movement of the knuckle, and a second finger provided upon the actuating shaft and arranged to engage with said knuckle to positively more the same to its unlocked position.

2. in a car coupler, a draw head provided with an internal chamber, a horizontally swinging knuckle including a tail extension arranged to occupy said chamber, a swinging locking block mounted within said chamber and serving no *mally to maintain said knuckle against movement by engagement with the tail extension thereof, and a manually operated shaft journaled in said chamber and formed to include two operating fingers, one of said fingers being arranged for engagement with said locking block to positively hold the latter in its knuckle locking position and, also, upon rotation of said operating shaft, to move said locking block to a pos tion releasing said knuckle, said locking block being provided with a recess in which said linger is receivable to retain the locking block in its knuckle releasing position, and said second finger being arranged for engagement with said knuckle, subsequent to the release of the latter, to positively advance the knuckle to its fully open position.

8. In a coupler, a draw head provided with an internal chamber, a horizontally pivoted knuckle including a tail extension arranged to occupy said chamber, a lock shaft mounted for oscillation within said chamber, a locking block formed with said shaft and disposed normally in engagement with the tail extension of said knuckle to restrain the latter against horizontal movement, an operating shaft disposed within said chamber in a plane below the lock shaft and extending in a horizontal plane and at an angle toward the pivotal connection of said knuckle, cam shaped fingers formed with said operating shaft and so arranged that upon rotation of said shaft one of said fingers will elevate said locking block and maintain the latter in its elevated position, a second finger provided upon the operating shaft and arranged to engage with said knuckle to effect a positive and forced rotation of the latter to an uncoupling position throughout its entire range of travel, and an actuating crank extension provided upon said lock shaft externally of said draw head.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

CHARLES W. DO'WLING. 

